Earthquakes & Tsunami

Lesson 2: Hawkes Bay Earthquake 1931

Key Content

• 1931 Napier earthquake.
• Effects of earthquakes on land and people.
• Sequence of events in an earthquake.

Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to:

• Describe the effect of an Earthquake on people.
• Describe the effect of an earthquake on social and economic activities.
• Outline the sequence of events in an earthquake.
• Use terminology correctly (eg, subduction, convection currents, epicentre, focus).

Film Archive Footage and Key Questions

5. The Great Holocaust Feb 3rd 1931 Napier in Ruins (extracts), [1931]

The Great Holocaust (1931)

A devastated Napier after the earthquake on February 3rd 1931. Fires from coal ranges and coppers smoulder causing fog-like conditions. The city area is a pile of debris and rubble, with very few buildings left unscathed.

a. Briefly describe what you see in this footage of Napier.

6. The Great Earthquake at Napier and Hastings (extracts), Carlton Films, 1931

The Great Earthquake (1931)

Residential damage and perilous accommodation atop the Bluff. Note that slope failure i.e. shaking plus gravity leads to landslides. Rock in earthquake prone regions is often quite weak having been shattered by previous earthquakes.

a. What dangers faced the residents of Napier/Hastings during the earthquake?
Fire, falling masonry, falling into fissures in the ground.

7. Terrible Earthquake Disaster at Napier-Hastings and Surroundings, Theatre Service News / Ted Coubray 1931

Terrible Earthquake Disaster (1931)

Actual footage taken in the days after the Hawkes Bay earthquake showing among other things the results of building standards prior to modern earthquake regulations. Measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale, 256 people died. Fire engulfed four hectares of central Napier within a few minutes of the first shock, and aftershocks were experienced for ten days.

a. Why do you think there was so much damage done to the buildings in Napier?
Unprepared for earthquake. Not as strict building regulations as they have now. No sprinkler systems. Choice of building materials.

8. The Hawkes Bay Disaster, National Film Unit, 1965

The Hawkes Bay Disaster (1965)

Using a 1931 film made with subtitle called Topical News, a sound track is added to explain the visuals. Note why there was so much damage to the Post Office (i.e. no reinforcing, lime cement). Hence the necessity for a building code to enable buildings to resist earthquakes more effectively. This footage shows recovery phase i.e. cleaning up after the earthquake. In Napier this was done by sailors from H.M.S. Veronica, a Royal Navy Destroyer that was fortuitously in Napier at the time. The sailors efforts in helping the citizens of Napier, eventually led to the establishment of a Civil Defence organisation.

a. What caused most of the damage to the buildings? Fire.

b. Where was a temporary hospital established? In tents in a field.

c. Why did people prefer not to live indoors immediately after the quake?
Because of aftershocks and because many buildings were already structurally weakened.

d. How long did it take to restore water and sewage services to the majority of houses in Napier? 6 weeks.

e. How long did it take to restore electricity to Napier after the quake? 31 hours.

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